308 South Scott Street, P.O. Box 1286, South Bend, In 46624 (574) 288-6028 (fax) 288-4282 (e-mail) info@christchildsb.org

Mission Statement The South Bend Chapter of The Christ Child Society is a not-for-profit organization of volunteers dedicated to the personal service and clothing of all needy children and infants in the love and spirit of the Christ Child.

Executive Board

September 2014

President: Peg Riggs President Elect: Vice President (Fundraising): Judy BurmeisterVice President (Membership): Anne Choinacky Vice President (Clothing): Sue WalshRecording Secretary: Jean FuehrmeyerCorresponding Secretary: Marie BurtTreasurer: Pat Hillebrand

Updates• LikeusonFacebook: facebook.com/ChristChildSB• FollowusonTwitter: #ChristChildSB• Checkusoutonline: www.christchildsb.org

As you read this, our biggest night of the year is just 6 weeks away! Check your mail box for your invitation which will arrive any day now, and then call your family, friends and neighbors to fill a table at “Let Love Shine Dinner and Auc-tion.” Last year was a sold out event weeks before the deadline so don’t delay in getting your reservation in! The Gift Gathering Party took place at the Center the week before Opening Day. Unexpectedly we needed to relocate our party from the room we usually used fot extra events. In a pinch we decided to set the refreshments up in our prayer area at the Center. It proved to be a very blessed location for the party! Our generous members brought in many high quality items! The committee was thrilled and so grateful for such a great response. There is still time to donate. Just bring items to the office at the Center and fill out a donor form so we know whom to thank! You can also call Kathy Seidl (291-6604) to arrange an item pick up. We are pleased to announce that Bob Nagle will be our guest host for “Let Love Shine.” Bob brings great warmth and humor to the podium. He wants to tour our clothing Center one Wednesday morning before the event in order to more fully understand our mission. Another surprise for the event is our inaugural signature piece of jewelry for “Let Love Shine” and the Christ Child Society. Keeping the design a secret, we will tell you it has been created by local artist and shop owner Ali Oesch who is donating her talent for the sake of our fundraising efforts. We will have a limited number of these pieces available before and during the event. Don’t be left out – watch for the announcement as to the opening sales of this special item. To add to the excitement, one of the buyers will also win a grand prize, and another will win a second place prize! Thank you, Ali, for your support of our organization! Please check out our website www.letloveshine.info for the latest details, to preview silent auction items and to pre-register for the electronic bidding.

OSV Named Heart of Child Award Recipient It is with great pleasure that the Let Love Shine Committee announces the 2014 Heart of a Child Award. It is fitting that this year the award goes out to our friends at Our Sunday Visitor Institute, long and generous supporters of our cause. Beginning in 2008 and continuing through this year, OSV Institute has un-derstood our mission and enhanced it with their gifts of over $65,000.00 in grant-ed monies for important projects. Please join us on October 16 at the Morris Inn Grand Ballroom where we will be honored to present The Heart of a Child Award to our deserving and very big-hearted friends at Our Sunday Visitor Institute!

It’s Time to Fill Your Table for‘Let Love Shine’ Dinner, Auction

Sept 3,10,17,24 ............Center Open for Clients 8:30 amSept 14 .......Sunday Clothing Center Open1:00-3:00 PM Sept 22 ......................Board Meeting Center 9:00 amSept 24 ..............In Memoriam Mass St. Patrick’s 12:15 pm

CALENDAR

Motor Corps Call Out! The ladies of motor corps are back to work! If you know of any school or pre-school where we do NOT have a “pick up,” please let me know. We can always arrange for pick up and for new volunteers if necessary. Please call Judy Bur-meister (259-4737).

2 Christ Child Society • South Bend, IN September, 2014

The Hundred Foot Journeyby Richard C. Morais

September 17Carol Holt (259-0461)

From the President . . . . Peg Riggs

Book Club

September1 Anne Klimek1 Marlene Martinec1 Judith King2 Shirley Flood4 Patricia Zubler4 Sharon Henely5 Irene McNulty5 Janet Paul6 Sheila Emge7 Suzanne Wiwi7 Norma Sue Uhran8 Catherine Thurin8 Mary Jane Stanley9 Deborah Bernhard10 Betty Jane Krizmanich11 Shirley Sommer12 Linda Rakow13 Carol Holt14 Kathleen Welsh15 Dorothy Wallace15 Jeanne Ward16 Francis Skubiszewski20 Karey Circosta21 Teresa Jermano25 Patricia Van Rie25 Diane Entrikin26 Rita North26 Helen Manley26 Kathy Large26 Barbara Phair26 Mary Kathleen Roberts27 Janet Williams28 Martha Redden30 Barbara Skubiszewski

On August 13, 2014, the Center opened for clients for the first time in the 2014-2015 season. We served 216 children in 83 families.

Through the eyes of our clients: Waiting outside the Center, some since 7am. The doors don’t open until 8:30am. Most know that, although one mom in line calls the Center phone at 8:05am wanting to know when they can get in. South Bend schools open on August 20, so many moms took advantage of having their children with them to try everything on. At 8:30am, the doors open and numbers are passed out. The intake ladies go over referrals, double-checking children’s sizes and the preference for a uniform or jeans. In the computer room, the ladies check our addresses, our personal information, our children’s schools and once more double check the children’s clothing order. From there, we move on to the clothing and shoe rooms. Hallways are crowded. Lines form at every door. Clothing is picked up and bags are opened and looked over. After every room has been visited, the last stop is the checkout table to pick out a book for the children. The annual visit to Christ Child is complete.

Through the eyes of a volunteer: Get to the Center around 8:15am, time to check in, visit the room you’ll be working in, pray, and wait for the client orders to come in. By 8:45am, the printer starts. Orders flow in; volunteers fill what is listed on the sheet and have it ready for the family by the door. Clients begin to line up at the door. As they check through their orders, we make exchanges for them, always mindful that this is for the children. Most clients are grateful, even smile and say thank you. That simple gesture is what brings the volunteers back. By 11:30am, the last client has been served and the Center becomes quiet again.

Through the eyes of the president: Get to the Center before 8am, pray for good weather for our clients who are waiting outside, pray for the volunteers to come in, pray for patients, pray for all of our donors, and pray all goes smoothly. Did I mention, pray?

Welcome Tori Williams Hello! I am the new Administrative

Assistant for the South Bend chapter of Christ Child Society. I am thrilled to be

working with such a generous and charitable organiza-tion! Everyone has been so kind and welcoming, making it even easier to be the first associ-ate of Christ Child!

I am here to help committees and the Center execute their events and daily tasks by entering data, checking mail, manning the phones, and completing other administrative needs. I am really enjoying learning the systems, even the tricky ones like DonorPerfect!

I just recently returned to the area from Chicago and am enjoying being closer to my family and supporting the area I grew up in. I graduated from Purdue University with my degree in Hospitality Tourism Management.

I am looking forward to getting to know everyone better and truly appreci-ate the opportunity to help as needed.

Beth Barrett to JoinNational CC Board

The South Bend Chapter of the Christ Child Society has a long history of representation on the National Board. Deb Low and Linda Brammer are about to complete two year terms on the board. As Linda steps down, Beth Bar-rett will join the board in September with her induction at the National Confer-ence. Deb will continue for a second term with a focus on development.

Beth served as President in 2009-2010 following many years of working on fundraising projects for CCS. Most recently, she chaired the Let Love Shine Dinner and Auction in 2011 and 2012. She noted, “The National Board will give me an opportunity to share the success stories of our chapter with other chapters across the country as well as discover new ways to serve our community.”

Deadline for next newsletter September 15

–––––––––Ann Korb (277-6443) ack339@aol.com

September, 2014 Christ Child Society • South Bend, IN 3

The beautiful Gold Christ Child Remembrance Card is a convenient way to send donations in any amount to the Christ Child Society, as an In Memoriam or in recognition of a special occasion or accomplishment. A donation can be made in memory of deceased friend or relatives who will also be remembered in a perpetual monthly Mass. The card also makes it possible to celebrate happy occasions such as birthdays and anniversaries in the same way. When requesting a Remembrance Card, mem-bers are asked to print legibly since the names will be printed in each newsletter with the donor’s name in parentheses. Extra cards are available in the office or from Joan Hardig (277-7787)

Gifts and Memorials

IJohn Harding (Ed/Joan Hardig, Barb/Al Szewczyk, Rosemary Shafer)

Jacqueline R. Hoffman (Dr/Mrs John Toepp, Francis/Barbara Skubisze-wski)

John Fisher/Henrica Hradel (Maryann Tice)

Vern Johnson (Marcia/Tom Blum)Dorothy Kryder (Peggy Peck)Frances Kuzmitz (Mary Ann Randall)Richard McCloskey (Bill/Marian Bickel,

Marie/Paul Brady, Kathryn Screes)Eadie Meykel (Carol/Doug Eyster,

Richard/Jill Drerup)Carol Mylod (Barbara Dillon, Gratia

Eades)

Frank O’Hara (Robert/Lori Hull)Henry Pankiw (Sharon James)Maria Schirripa (Madeline Deyerling)Bea Snyder (Ed/Joan Hardig)Jay Strack (Gratia Eades)David Witt (Ken/Barb Fedder)

Special OccasionSara Arveson - Regain Health (Dr/Mrs

John Toepp, Rosemary Shafer)Ann Korb – Comfortable Recovery

(Sheila Emge, CCS)Marian Mackin - Complete Recovery

(Dr/Mrs John Toepp)Virginia Zellers - Get Well (Pat/Fred

Hillebrand)

The beginning of a new school year is always exciting and promising, but it’s even more true this year for St. Adalbert! The 100 plus year old building is being spruced up with new carpeting. Teachers are adding splashes of color to their classroom walls with bright paint and artwork. New math books are awaiting and a new middle school approach to science is in the works that will integrate math and science, making both subjects more experiential and engaging for students. Summer workshops have refined teaching skills and a music/art/drama teacher will be releasing the children’s creative energies. Standardized test scores are up dramatically as a result of a new “data tracking’”initiative that gave students and teachers constant feedback on achievement and needs. Enrollment is near building capacity for the first time in decades. There is so much to be grateful for….

One thing St. Adalbert is extremely grateful for is the love, effort and commitment shown by the SUCCESS program tutors from Christ Child. Tu-tors do more than help with reading

and math; they give students the con-fidence that someone cares enough to help ensure their emotional and academic success.

With an influx of new students this year, tutors are needed more than ever. Won’t you consider giving one

hour per week during the school year to work under a teacher’s direction helping a needy student? No experi-ence is necessary- just a willing heart! For more information, please contact Jean Fuehrmeyer at 574-855-3028 or (jfuehrmeyer@gmail.com)

New Beginnings!

In MemoriamFather John Barret (Mercedes Davy)Marian Brems (Sue/Rick Seall)Kenneth Brothers (Carol Bauer, Patti/

Lowell Paschke)Marty Daley-(Steve/Patricia Huston,

Dave/Susan Walsh, Judy/Bob Meuleman)

Natalie Danielsson (Dr/Mrs John Toepp)

Mary Jane DeWitt (Florence Duester-berg)

Mary Jo Edenhofer (Joe/Marie Burt)Evelyn England (Jeanne Ward)Harry Halley (Barbara Dillon)Edith Hanover (Patti/Lowell Paschke)

Clients wait for the Center to open.

4 Christ Child Society • South Bend, IN September, 2014

CHRIST CHILD SOCIETYP.O. Box 1286South Bend, Indiana 46624

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JoinusfortheAnnualCHRISTCHILDLUNCHEONMEETING

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